Chair



Feb. 2, 1943. R. H. wls-l .2,309,881

CHAIR Fi 1ed June 2s, lesa 2 sheets-sheet. 1

Feb. 2, 1943.

R. H. wlsE Fied June 23, 1938 CHAIR' I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Patented Feb.2, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT'l GFFICE CHAIR.

Ralph H. Wise, Detroit, Mich.

Application June 23, 1938, Serial No. 215,443

er end of each leg I5 may be secured to the base 7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in chairs and particularly tochairs used for small children. The invention has certaincharacteristics which could well be applied to chairs for adults and inthese respects, is not to be considered as limited tothe class ofjuvenile furniture.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a resilientchair with a fabric seat and seat back portion which may be easilyremoved for laundering purposes. Another object of the invention is theprovision of the chair in which the structural members mutually supportand brace each other. A still further object is the provision of a chairin which one structural member may be replaced by another member whenthe child is older or at such other time as the replacement may seemdesirable.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a chair embodying theinvention. Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating theconnection of the two main frame members. Figure 3 is a cross-sectiontaken along line 3--3 of Figure 2. Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectiontaken on line llof Figure l with certain parts removed. Figure 5 is across-section taken along line 5-5 of Figure l. Figure 6 is an outlineView of the fabric material used for the seat and seat back. Figure '7is an elevation, partial- 1y in cross-section, looking toward the rearof the chair from a plane indicated by numerals 'I-l in Figure l. Figure8 is a perspective View illustrating the chair with a different type ofstructural member in place.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference charactersindicate like parts, the base of a chair embodying the invention isindicated at i and consists of a generally rectangular piece of wood,preferably plywood. t will be understood that this base may also be madeof sheet metal properly reinforced. A toe-board` i I is provided with anangular lower edge and secured to the base I0 by means of screws i2inserted from the under side of the base as shown in Figure `5. Thetoe-board II may advantageously be cut out of the base IB along the rearedge thereof as at I3;

One of the major structural members of the seat consists of a generallyU-shaped frame embodyng the supporting legs and the seatback frame. Thismember is indicated generally at I4, and is preferably made of springsteel. The frame member Iii includes a pair of supporting legs I whichextends upwardly from the base III in a sweeping curve ofla-rge radius.The low- I D by means of a screw I1 inserted from the lower side of thebase and threaded into nut I8, a portion of which projects into anaperture in the leg as at I9. The upper, or seat back portion I6 of theframe I4 is in the shape of an inverted U. The` frame I4 is formed froma continuous strip of spring metal and in the formation of this piece,the seat back curve I6 is formed at rst. The curved legs I5 are thenformed in the .legs of the inverted U in diverging relationship. Themetal is then given a degree twist as at 20 and 2I which brings the legsI5 into parallel relationship. This formation presents the flat sides oflegs I5 to the base Iii, thus allowing the maximum flexibility in thesemembers and likewise facilitates bending the seat back portion I6.

The second major structural member consists of a strip of metal bentinto the shape of an open rectangle and indicated generally at 22. Theend of each arm 23 of the frame 22 is curved upwardly to form theupstanding arm 24'. A hook 25 is formed in the end of each arm andturned outwardly as shown in Figure 2. The arm 24 is further providedwith an aperture 26 just above the bend 2l. The frame member I5 isprovided with a; series of three or more equally spaced apertures 28,With any two adjacent apertures being in alignment with the aperture 26Iand the hook 25 inV arm 24.

The arms 24 of frame member 22 are secured to the frame I4 and lieadjacent the inner parallel faces thereof as shown in Figures l and 2.The arms 23 of frame 22 may be sprung toward each other sufficiently toallow insertion of the hooks 25 into the apertures 28. The threaded end29 of ya wing-head stud 30 isl passed through the aligned apertures 26`and 28 and is received in a threaded aperture in a member 3|, which maybe a ball of ornamental design. The frame member 22 may be supported ata higher position by inserting the hooks 25 and studs 3G in a higher setof holes 28.

Near the front edge of frame 22, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, each arm23 is apertured as at 32 to receive the threaded end 33 of a stud havinga head 34 providing the male member of a well known type of snapfastener. A nut 35 secures the stud to the arm 23 and the extendedportion of the stud 33- serves to support each end of atubular crossmember 36. The arms 23 may be sprung apart far enough to allow the crossmember to be telescoped over stud ends 33. Thevcross member 3'6 servestosupportthe front ing member.

edge of the seat 31 and the rear edge of the tray 38 as will be morefully described hereinafter.

The seat proper consists of a fabric material, the outline of which isshown in Figure 6. The fabric blank 39 consists of a rounded upper backportion 48, a lower back portion 4l, a seat portion 31, seat supportingwebs 42 and a front edge supporting web 43. A piece of fabric in theform of a semi-circle is sewed to the upper portion 40 to form anenvelope adapted to slip over` the frame member I6. The lower edge ofthe envelope is indicated at 44. A seam 45 joins the lower seat back 4Iand the seat portion 31.

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Seams 43 join the seat 31 and side webs 42, the v hems 41 of which areadapted to be slipped over the arms 23 of frame 22'. The front edge ofthe seat portion 31 is providedwith a hem 48 extending the full width ofthe seat. Web 43 is sewed to the under side of seat portion 31 and isprovided with a hem 49, which is adapted to be slipped over the crossmember 33. Tabs 59 are sewed to the front ends of hems 41 and carry thefemale snap fasteners 5| for engagement with the members 34 and, asshown in Figure 1, prevent the side webs from slipping backwards.

A tray, which may be used to hold the childs playthings, is indicated at38 in Figure l. The tray is similar to a shallow open box having foursides and a bottom. The fabric of the tray is looped over the framemember 22 and sewed together along the bottom edge. A pair of webs 52support the rear edge of the tray and are carried by the cross member 36with one web 5'2 on each side of the seat supporting web 43.

To prevent the chair from being moved about by the activities of a childseated therein, a series of vacuum cups 53, one secured to each cornerof the base l on the lower surface thereof, may be provided. Figureillustrates a preferred construction in which a screw 54 passes throughWasher 55, Vacuum cup 53, an aperture 56 in base l0, and into a nut 51disposed within a large ornamental rubber ball 58.

In Figure 8, a modified form of the invention is shown. When the childbecomes older and outgrows the chair pictured in Figure 1, it may bedesirable to change the type of seat support and eliminate the tray.This invention comprehends the sale of the chair with a second seatsupport- In Figure 8, the same frame member I4 is utilized as well asthe same base I8. The seat supporting member 59, which is preferablypackaged with the equipment shown in Figure 1, comprises horizontallyextending arms 60, depending frontal portions El and a cross member 62,which fits within the hem 43 of the seat material. The rear ends of thearms 68 have upturned portions 24 identically like arms 23 as shown inFigure 2. The same fabric material 39 is used with the second seatsupport 59. The hem 48 which has not been used with the first form ofchair, now serves to support the front edge of the seat portion 31,while the web 43, which formerly supported the front edge of the seat31, is no longer needed and may be cut off 'f with shears. 1f desired,the secondary seat support 59 may be mounted in an upper set of holes 28because of the increased leg length of the older child.

In Figure 7, a modified form of cross bar is illustrated. A piece ofstrap metal 63 extends horizontally between the arms 23 and is providedwith a hook 64 at each end. This hook may conveniently be formed bytwisting the strap 63 and then bending it to the shape indicated. Withthis type of cross bar, which supports the web 43 of the seat 31, andweb 52 of the tray 33, the childs weight, applied through web 43, servesto pull the cross member 63 into engagement with the arms 2'3 to preventdisplacement. In several chairs of the prior art the tray has beensupported by a separate metallic framework which could be displaced bythe child. Such displacement is obviously impossible with either form oftray support above described.

One of the advantages of this invention is the ease with which thefabric material 39 may be removed for laundering purposes. As viewed inFigure 1, the envelope 44 is removed over the top of frame IE. The crossmember 36 may then be removed by spreading apart the arms 23 andslipping the cross member 36 longitudinally through the webs 52 and 43.The wing studs 38 are then removed and the hooks 25 disengaged bypressing the arms 23 toward each other. The hems 41 may then be slippedrearwardly over their respective supporting arms 23 and the tray maythen be removed by moving it either way from the central position itoccupies along either arm 23. The fabric material 39 may also be easilyremoved from the frame members shown in Figure 8 by taking off the seatsupporting member 59 and drawing the material in one direction off ofone of the curved ends 24. In the construction shown in Figure '1, theprocedure is the same as that used with Figure 1 except that the crossmember 63 is merely lifted from engagement with the arms 23. If desiredas a safety feature, the arms 23 and cross member 33 may be covered withrubber tubing to cushion them.

Another advantage, which manifests itself structurally, lies in thearrangement of th'e seat supporting member 22. The cross member 36maintains the arms 23 in spaced relationship and in turn is maintainedin position by virtue of the arms 23 being secured inside frame memberI8.

It will also be apparent that this invention makes possible the use of asingle chair for a child over a greater period of years than has beenpossible heretofore by means of the provision in the same package of theinterchangeable supporting member 59. Advantageously, the same seatfabric may be used with the second form seat frame by simply cutting offthe web 43.

The shape of the frame member I4 is such that it may be formed easily bysimple bending operations and the provision of multiple holes 28 allowsthe seat supporting arms to be adjusted to different heights.

I claim:

1. A chair comprising a supporting base, a resilient frame consisting ofa strip of metal of greater width than thickness bent into th'e form ofan inverted U with the curved portion and adjacent straight portions ofthe U disposed vertically as a seat back and the remote ends of the Ubent into sweeping singly curved resilient legs extending downwardly andforwardly from the vertical seat back to a horizontal base.

2. A chair comprising a base,a resilient inverted U shaped frame havingvertically disposed side sections and a curved section together forminga. seat back and having free ends each of which extends downwardly andforwardly in a single sweeping curve from its corresponding verticallydisposed side section to a horizontal plane of attachment to said base,a seat frame member adapted to be detachably secured to the sidesections of the frame member, and a webbing positioned on said frames,

3. A chair comprising, in combination, a supporting base, a resilientmain frame in the form of an inverted U, the free ends of which lie in acommon horizontal plane in which they are attached to said base and theU shaped part of which extends vertically to form a seat back, theintermediate sides of said U being curved to join the horizontal andvertical portions, and a seat extending horizontally from said frame.

4.. A chair comprising, in combination, a seat and a main frame, saidframe being fabricated of strip metal of greater width than thickness,said frame including a pair of resilient supporting legs each extendingin a single sweeping curve from a common h'orizontal plane of attachmentto said base to a common substantially vertical plane in which said seatis attached to said frame.

5. A chair comprising, in combination, a base, a seat and a main frame,said frame being fabricated of strip metal of greater width thanthickness and including a pair of resilient legs each curving upwardlyand rearwardly in a single curve out of the plane of its width from acommon horizontal plane wherein it is attached to said base to a commonsubstantially vertical plane in which said seat is attached to saidframe.

6. A chair comprising, in combination, a base, a frame, a seatassociated with' said frame and resilient strip metal legs eachextending down- Wardly and forwardly in a single sweeping curve fromsaid frame to said base, each of said legs embodying a 90 twist adjacentits upper end whereby to present its width for the attachment of saidseat and each of said legs presenting its width to said base wherebyexibility is provided between the base and the 90 twist.

7. A chair comprising, in combination, a hori` zontal supporting base, aframe having a seat back portion and strip metal legs with the Widths ofsaid legs lying in common planes from the point of their attachment tosaid base thence rearwardly and upwardly each in a single sweeping curveto the lower end of said seat back portion at which point the legs aretwisted to bring their widths into spaced parallel planes and a seatsecured to the frame above the twist in each leg.

RALPH H. WISE.

